BARBOSA Moasir

Born March 27, 1921.
Died April 2000.
Country Brazil.
Position Goalkeeper
Club: Vasco da Gama (1938-56).
. Achievements: Champion of South America (1949), Vice-world champion (1950)

. Do not be that great tragedy, . happened in the Brazilian football over fifty years ago, . perhaps, . this person now be recalled more frequently (although, . know how, . as absolutely went unnoticed in the beginning of this year's 100-year anniversary of the divine Don Ricardo Zamora ...),
. And so - how many of the readers will determine at random, about whom the story? I am sure that the unit. But modern researchers of football, whose authority and prestige is not in doubt, argue that not Zhilmar and Taffarel considered the best goalies in the history of Brazilian football. Such is the Moacir Barbosa Nascimento - goalkeeper Vasco da Gama and the Brazilian national team, a great sinner, and martyr.

. The final whistle decisive match of World Cup, launched a hot winter night 16 July 1950 on the new stadium "Maracana", has divided life into two parts Barbosa
. All the good times and gone forever. Before that unfortunate day a famous Brazilian goalkeeper was the main guardian of the gates of Brazil squad - indisputable favorite mundialya, as well as confidently defended border grandee League Carioca - "Admiral" club Vasco da Gama from Rio de Janeiro. Moasir has excellent physique, excellent response, with honor out of difficult situations, not sparing himself, flew to his feet opponent - in a word, faithfully performed his goalkeeper job. Barbosa was a great goalkeeper, but had one drawback - he was terribly nervous, even panicked before every little bit important game. In the course of the meeting is usually held jim-jams, but before the match to him it was better not to approach. Perhaps it was nerves and began to reason that in the most important match against Uruguay, he missed a crucial and seemingly absurd goal.

With Uruguayans Brazilians have always had a special relationship and unbearably difficult fights. There was and there in the history of world football so long and irreconcilable rivalry! Each confrontation is always accompanied by the special atmosphere of tension, intransigence and thirst to win at any cost. Uninitiated readers tell you briefly, and the others remind you that the last bout mundialya between Brazil and Uruguay had to determine the new champion - the first in post-war football history. Masters championship Brazilians staged a draw, their geographical neighbors needed a victory. At the beginning of the second half Brazil's national team, which had a significant advantage in all components of the game, had scored her. But the 65 th minute "Pele" - Juan Alberto Schiaffino equalized, . and for eleven minutes before the end of the match "Chico" - Alcide Edgar Chiggia (sometimes pronounce his name Higgie, . Zhiggia or even Gidzha) scored the winning goal, . who decided the fate of the Golden Goddess Nike "for the next four years,
. After the match the whole Brazil went into a coma. The defeat of "Celeste" put an end to all the magnificent, but was less fartovoy than a rival, the Brazilian team led by an outstanding coach Flavio Costa. The most heavy load - burden of shame - fell to the lot Barbosa. That he was declared the chief culprit lesion.

. Memoirs witnesses, . and impartial newsreel match and Save Transcript reportage, . which essentially is an exact fixation of, . what happened on the field (on the tradition of Brazilian commentator always tells about all the movements of the ball and players, . distracted by the "lyrical digressions" only while the match) and, . Finally, . schematic pictures allowed to disassemble both goals in the gate Barbosa, . as described, . on bones,
. The first of these happened because of obvious blunders left-back Brazilians Joao Bigode, . for failing to dislodge the ball rolled in Chiggia, . and then let yurkomu striker burst into the penalty box and make the accurate transmission of Schiaffino, . vbegavshemu in splendid isolation at the gate,
. Blow as from a catapult would not affect anyone. Failed to do so and Moasir.

Background second goal was unfolding on a familiar pattern. Again Chigtia, receiving a pass from Julio Perez, fled from Bigode on the right flank. "Chico", as "Pele", who later became an Italian, and there received another nickname of "Rigoletto", moved the ball almost to the front line that up repeated situation which led to the first goal from. Central defender Amorizho Zhuvenap, as in the first case, leaving his area, rushed toward Chiggia. Nobody does not ward Schiaffino again took the position of lethal. Barbosa started moving out of the gate to prevent the transfer to the center. But this time Chiggia struck the gate with an acute angle. I got ... And do not blow out "cannon": before you fly into the goal, the ball twice struck the turf. Desperate throw Barbosa provisions are not saved.

Word of the direct participants in the episode. Bigode: "I was between Julio Perez and Chiggia. The ball was in Perez, I rushed to him, but he threw the ball over on my space, the conclusions on the edge of a gap Chiggia. It was a stunning decision: when I turned around, Chiggia already entered the penalty box, for when I felt that I had got it, he struck the gate. Has struck success: Boot it with even greater force caught on the lawn, what moved the ball. Hit so weak. "This ball Barbosa will" - I thought. But a dead silence prevalent in the stadium, said what happened ". Barbosa: "When I saw that Chiggia rushes to the right and bypasses Bigode, I felt fear. And fear increased when I noticed that Juvenal left the central zone of the penalty, to insure Bigode, Schiaffino again leaving me without a care. I was just horrified - because all Chiggia most likely was grazed in the center! And so I started to move, not even, I somehow swung toward the center, has replaced the supporting leg, getting ready to throw the interception. But just at this moment Chiggia struck between me and the left bar. I jumped like a cat, back, even managed to touch the ball. Then he turned and saw the ball galvanized mesh gate.

Was the wine Barbosa in the Hole? The debate did not fall silent until now. And the exact answer, probably, will never. If Moasir entirely focused on the control near the corner, probably followed by a pass in the center, and Schiaffino from such positions are not missed. The tragedy is that Barbosa embodied the last line of defense and intercepted the ball. Who remembered that at first mistaken Bigode? And before that, someone else from the Brazilians? How not to recall the words of the philosopher of the Brazilian football Nenem Prasha: Goalkeeper - so odious creature, that it has even partners turned their backs ".

For years, right from the main gate of the rostrum, in which he flew into a goal, were called "gates Chigtia". And all the remaining matches, according to Barbosa, he did not play, and come to grief. Losing mental balance, without much inspiration continued performances for the club. As it "welcomed" torsida - better not to remember. Only once after the accident he entrusted the gates of the national team, when the Cup match in South America, Brazil has trumped visiting Ecuador. In fourteen out of twenty games with Barbozoi the gates were to win, two matches ended in draws, and four loss came the most horrible, because of which Moasir tormented throughout his life.

. After speeches, Barbosa any time the number in the club, helping coach training goalkeepers and receiving the minimum wage
. Then he was offered a job at "Marakane" more for less money - something move, something clean, something curled in a word - the servant of the stadium, a senior, where they sent ". Moasir became one of tens of thousands of Brazil's Negro handyman. The few faithful friends, as they could, tried to comfort him. But most familiar with the meeting turned away. Barbosa name disappeared from the football annals, and mentioned only in the context of the lesion.

In the early 60's it was decided to replace the aged football gate "Maracana". They dismantled an active part Barbosa, who then persuaded the authorities to give him in stadium construction of the wooden gate, in which he stood in the second half of the final match. That same evening Moasir fork out the meat, and fried it on the fire hated gate, inviting the closest friends on the barbecue!

But the evil memory of his experiences have not left the veteran. Once in the store, he heard the elderly man, pointing his finger at him, her grandson said: "Look, kid, get out is the one who once forced to cry the entire country" ...

When the Brazil squad preparing for their triumphant participation in the FM-94, Barbosa, among other veterans went to the Brazilian football team training camp. But the base was not allowed. Then Barbosa said: "We in Brazil there is no death penalty, the highest penalty - thirty years in prison. Almost half a century, I pay for the "crime", which did not commit. And I'd never have to wait for forgiveness ".

Soon he was forgotten altogether.

In recent years, he lived on a tiny pension, and indeed the content of nieces. Moacir Barbosa Nascimento died in 2000, before reaching quite a bit to 50-year anniversary of his tragic goal. He left unforgiven ... After a few weeks to "Marakane" in the fight for the right to the 2002 World Cup came together teams of Brazil and Uruguay. Reason honor Barbosa came along at an opportune moment. Made this was not.